[Time Remaining: 14:37]
Merlin's eyes flicked to the countdown.
They were running out of time.
They had to move now.
He turned away from the screen, his grip still firm on Keryx. The familiar weight of his rapier grounded him, its sleek silver blade reflecting the dim city lights of the simulation.
"We don't have time to argue," he said coldly. "We head there now."
Dorian gave a sharp nod. "Understood."
Seraphina hesitated, then exhaled through her nose. "Fine."
Merlin didn't waste another second. He pushed out of the patrol station, scanning the streets ahead. The route to the marker wasn't too far, but with how this simulation was going, there was no way they'd make it without another fight.
The city was hostile territory.
And Nathan's squad had no idea what they were walking into.
Merlin clicked his tongue, already moving. "Keep close and don't waste energy. We engage only if necessary."
Dorian adjusted his stance, his crimson eyes scanning their surroundings. "That won't be an option for long."
The streets were eerily silent as they moved, the distant hum of simulation-generated activity echoing through the dark alleys.
Merlin kept his rapier, Keryx, at the ready, his senses sharp.
Dorian walked a step behind him, his pale white hair barely illuminated under the streetlights.
Seraphina, in contrast, kept to his right, her ice affinity making the air around her feel slightly colder than the rest of the street.
[Time Remaining: 12:04]
Merlin's eyes narrowed.
'Damn it, we're cutting it too close. We haven't gathered any intel at all…'
The plan was simple: regroup with Nathan's squad and finish the mission before time ran out and try to get some information.
Merlin knew it wouldn't be that simple though, this simulation wasn't easy. Not even remotely close.
Their team wasted too much time with the remorse for the kills..
He had already killed once in this place..and outside of it.
Seraphina's fingers twitched near the hilt of her sword, her stance slightly too rigid. Dorian wasn't much better—calm, but calculating, as if still trying to justify what they were doing.
Merlin didn't have that problem.
He stopped instantly, his hand raising. The others froze.
From the next alley, footsteps.
Then, from the darkness—
Armed. Not with simulation drones. Real, human opponents.
Their faces were hidden under combat visors, their movements disciplined, practiced—mercenaries, maybe.
There were five of them.
Merlin's grip on Keryx tightened.
They hadn't noticed them yet.
Seraphina inhaled sharply, but Merlin didn't hesitate. He turned his head slightly.
"Dorian. Take the left one. Seraphina, slow down the center."
His movements started flowing like water.
The world blurred as he closed the gap in an instant, Keryx flashing.
The first soldier barely had time to react before Merlin's blade pierced his shoulder, disabling his weapon arm. A choked gasp—then a kick to the stomach sent him sprawling.
Dorian was next, his ice surging, piercing the alley in shadows. One soldier screamed as ice wrapped around his ankles, yanking him down.
Seraphina raised her hand.
A gust of freezing wind tore through the air, and suddenly, ice coated the ground, throwing the remaining soldiers off balance.
Merlin didn't waste the opportunity.
One step—two—Keryx found its mark again.
This time, he aimed to disable, not kill. A slash across the leg, a downward thrust to pin their weapon.
The fight was over in seconds.
The last soldier tried to crawl away.
Merlin stepped on his back, forcing him down. His blade hovered near his neck.
The soldier coughed, visor cracked from the impact. "I— I don't—"
Merlin's foot pressed down harder. "Don't waste my time."
A pause. A faint chuckle.
"You think this is the end?"
Merlin's eyes narrowed.
[Time Remaining: 9:42]
They were running out of time.
He stepped back and knocked the soldier out with the blunt side of his blade.
"We need to move. Now."
Merlin crouched over one of the unconscious soldiers, his sharp gaze scanning the man's uniform. It was standard military gear—practical, lightweight, reinforced at the joints—but something was off. There were no insignias, no identifying markers.
"Seraphina, check their pockets," he ordered, not looking up.
Seraphina exhaled sharply but obeyed, kneeling beside another unconscious man. She moved quickly, searching through pouches and compartments. Dorian remained silent, his red eyes watching the surroundings like a predator waiting for prey.
Merlin turned the soldier's wrist, noting a black band fastened tightly around it. A communication device, sleek and modern.
Academy-issued? No, the design was too clean, too advanced.
He pried it off and tapped the small interface, but the screen stayed locked.
"Tch." He tossed it to Dorian. "See if you can do something with this."
Dorian caught it with one hand and sat back, fingers working over the device. "Give me a minute."
[Time Remaining: 7:50]
Seraphina let out a small noise of surprise. "Here."
Merlin turned as she held up a folded document.
He snatched it and unfolded the paper, his eyes quickly scanning its contents.
A detailed map of the simulation zone—but not just any version. This one had additional markings.
Dorian, still working on the communication device, suddenly spoke. "I got access to some data."
Merlin's attention snapped back to him. "What kind of data?"
Dorian turned the device's screen toward them. He had bypassed the lock, revealing a list of coordinates.
They matched the markings on the map.
Seraphina inhaled sharply. "This was all pre-planned?"
Merlin's mind worked fast. The simulation was supposed to be a controlled combat scenario.
But this map suggested that someone—either the academy or an external force—had set up additional objectives.
Dorian narrowed his eyes. "The academy might have programmed this in without telling us. They might be testing something…"
"Or someone else is running their own test inside the simulation," Merlin added.
Seraphina clenched her fists. "So what do we do?"
Merlin didn't hesitate. "We take the intel and get out."
[Time Remaining: 3:20]
Merlin stuffed the map into his jacket while Dorian pocketed the device and they started running.
A low hum resonated through the air.
The simulation was shutting down.
Merlin's vision blurred. His senses faded.
A sharp hissing sound filled the air as the simulation pods unlocked one by one, releasing bursts of cold mist.
The fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly, bringing them back to reality.
Merlin's vision adjusted quickly, his breath steady as he stepped out.
His muscles still carried the faint echo of battle, his mind sharpening as he took in his surroundings.
To his right, Nathaniel stumbled slightly before catching himself, shaking his head as if trying to clear it. Adrian cracked his neck with a wince, muttering something under his breath.
Liliana brushed nonexistent dust off her uniform, keeping her usual poised composure, though there was a slight crease between her brows.
Seraphina was silent, her silver eyes flickering toward the others with a calculative gaze.
Dorian said nothing, his red eyes glinting faintly under the light as he leaned against the pod, his face unreadable.
A loud clap echoed through the room.
The unmistakable voice of Alden filled the space.
The military instructor stood a few feet away, arms crossed over his broad chest, grinning like he had just watched a bunch of kids barely survive their first real fight.
"You're all still standing. None if you got eliminated."
Merlin kept his face neutral, but Adrian coughed awkwardly.
Liliana gave Alden a flat stare. "We would have just gotten eliminated. Not killed."
Alden snorted. "So what? You all should have taken it seriously even if it was just a simulation."
Liliana pressed her lips together but didn't argue.
The captain clapped his hands together again. "Alright, let's hear it. What'd you learn?"
Alden sighed. "Come on, don't make me do all the talking. Someone give me the basics."
Nathaniel hesitated before speaking, his voice quieter than usual. "The mission was successful. We found the intel."
Alden tilted his head. "Yeah? And?"
Seraphina straightened. "Minimal casualties. We managed to adapt to the situation and complete the objective."
"Right, right." Alden nodded, his expression unreadable. "And what about the real lesson?"
"…Real lesson?" Adrian asked cautiously.
Alden's grin widened. "Let me spell it out for you."
He took a step forward, his presence suddenly heavier.
The words hung in the air.
Alden continued, his tone shifting.
"That simulation was one mission. One fight. A controlled environment. And you still made mistakes."
His gaze swept over them, sharp and assessing.
"You relied on each other, but you hesitated. You made calls without thinking ahead. You fought like people who thought they had a way out."
Merlin remained still, watching the others' reactions.
Alden let the silence stretch before continuing, his voice lower.
"You had the luxury of knowing this wasn't real." His eyes darkened. "Out there, in the real world, that luxury doesn't exist."
Nathaniel clenched his jaw. Liliana's fingers twitched. Adrian looked away.
Dorian and Seraphina didn't react outwardly, but Merlin could tell. They all understood what Alden was saying.
It was different for him, though.
Alden exhaled, rubbing his neck. "But hey, you got the intel. You didn't get eliminated. That's a start." His grin returned, though it didn't reach his eyes. "For now, take it as a win."
He turned toward the exit. "Alright, debrief's over. Get moving."
The group hesitated before following after him.
Vivienne was silent the whole time smiling awkwardly as they followed after Aldren.
As they walked out, Merlin cast one last glance at the simulation pods.